Introduction: The terumot must be separated and removed from the produce, because they are designated for the kohanim and are sacred. Since they cannot be eaten today, they are wrapped and placed in the garbage. By contrast, the ma’asrot are separated by designating a specific place among the produce – for example, the right side or the north side – thereby setting them apart from the rest. That designation is made so that the value of ma’aser rishon can later be given to a levi, the value of ma’aser ani to a poor person, and ma’aser sheni can be redeemed onto a peruta. Afterward, the produce designated as ma’asrot is eaten together with the rest. Alternatively, one may physically separate the produce for ma’aser rishon and ma’aser ani and give it to a levi and a poor person; this is an enhancement of the mitzva, as explained above, 9:10.
When it is clear that terumot and ma’asrot have not been separated from the produce, one recites a berakha. When there is doubt, one does not recite a berakha.
The nusach of the berakha is: “Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu le-hafrish terumot u-ma’asrot.” (Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to separate terumot and ma’asrot.)
After reciting the berakha, one takes a little more than one percent of the produce and separates it from the rest. This portion is designated for teruma gedola and terumat ma’aser. One then says: “The portion in excess of one-hundredth of what I have separated, which is located on my right side, shall be teruma gedola.”
The portion initially separated contains one percent plus a small additional amount; the amount beyond the one percent becomes teruma gedola, and its place is on the right side of the produce designated for the terumot.
One continues: “The one-hundredth that remains here, together with nine equivalent portions on the right side of this produce, shall be ma’aser rishon.” This separates ma’aser rishon. The produce itself, or its value, should afterward be given to a levi.
“That one-hundredth which I made ma’aser rishon and which has been set apart from the produce shall be terumat ma’aser.” This separates terumat ma’aser. The terumot should then be wrapped and placed in the garbage.
“A tenth of what remains, on the left side of the produce, shall be ma’aser sheni. If ma’aser ani applies to this produce, it shall be ma’aser ani.” This refers to ten percent of what remains after what has already been separated. This designates the place of the ma’aser sheni or ma’aser ani. In the first, second, fourth, and fifth years of the shemita cycle, one separates ma’aser sheni; in the third and sixth years, one separates ma’aser ani. When one separates ma’aser ani, he should afterward give the produce itself, or its value, to a poor person.
When one separates ma’aser sheni, it must be redeemed in order to remove its sanctity. When the produce is certainly untithed and clearly from a ma’aser sheni year, one first recites the berakha: “Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu lifdot ma’aser sheni.” (“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to redeem ma’aser sheni.”)
If there is doubt, one redeems it without a berakha.
One then says: “This ma’aser sheni, together with its fifth, shall be redeemed onto one peruta of the coin that I designated for redeeming ma’aser sheni.”
“This ma’aser sheni” refers to the produce whose place was designated on the left side. “Together with its fifth” refers to the Torah’s command to add a fifth when redeeming it. When necessary, one may redeem it onto food worth a peruta. In that case, he says: “It shall be redeemed onto this food,” as explained above, 9:12.
The nusach can be difficult to follow at first reading. One can resolve this by reciting the main nusach printed here while reviewing the explanations in parentheses. In this way, one fulfills the mitzva.
On Pesaḥ of the fourth and seventh years, one must perform bi’ur ma’asrot, including disposing of the money used to redeem ma’aser sheni, as explained above, 7:12 and 9:13.
